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USPS Delays Trickle Down | Democratic Delegates Go Digital | Medical Marijuana Updates

A mail truck parked on a neighborhood street.
Pope Moysuh
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Businesses and patients are among those now concerned about United States Postal Service delivery delays they are experiencing.

USPS users are bearing the brunt of mail delays and the service's financial shortcomings, Kansas and Missouri Democratic Party delegates are adjusting to a virtual version of their national political convention, and the medical marijuana program in Missouri has a deadline of late-September.

Segment 1, beginning at 3:53: How a hurting USPS affects businesses and rural communities.

For people who rely on the United State Postal Service, its current struggles with delays and financial shortfalls can be alarming. One Lawrence, Kansas, bookstore wouldn't survive without the Postal Service. A Lee's Summit, Missouri, veteran depends on the USPS to deliver his prescription medication.

Segment 2, beginning at 30:55: Being a delegate at the country's first digital national political convention.

Democratic delegates are disappointed they can't join their out-of-state colleagues in-person for the national political convention, going on virtually now, but there are other, new opportunities for connecting with the party platform and members closer to home.

Segment 3, beginning at 42:47: It's been two years since Missouri voters approved medical marijuana, and no one is getting cannabis yet.

More than 60,000 Missourians have applied for a medical marijuana card. Zero of them have received medical marijuana in the state. "There's been a lot of water pass under the bridge" since Missouri set a spring 2020 deadline for getting sales off the ground, said the state official in charge. His official deadline for opening up shop is now late summer.

As a host and contributor at KCUR, I seek to create a more informed citizenry and richer community. I want to enlighten and inspire our audience by delivering the information they need with accuracy and urgency, clarifying what’s complicated and teasing out the complexities of what seems simple. I work to craft conversations that reveal realities in our midst and model civil discourse in a divided world. Follow me on Twitter @ptsbrian or email me at brian@kcur.org.
Whether it’s something happening right now or something that happened 100 years ago, some stories don’t fit in the short few minutes of a newscast. As a podcast producer at KCUR, I help investigate questions and local curiosities in a way that brings listeners along for adventures with plot twists and thought-provoking ideas. Sometimes there isn’t an easy answer in the end – but my hope is that we all leave with a greater understanding of the city we live in. Reach me at mackenzie@kcur.org.
As senior producer of Up To Date, I want our listeners to hear familiar and new voices that shine light on the issues and challenges facing the myriad communities KCUR serves, and to expose our audiences to the wonderful and the creative in the Kansas City area. Just as important to me is an obligation to mentor the next generation of producers to ensure that the important conversations continue. Reach me at alexanderdk@kcur.org.
Chris Young is an Assistant Producer for KCUR’s Up To Date. Contact him at chrisy@kcur.org.
As culture editor, I oversee KCUR’s coverage of race, culture, the arts, food and sports. I work with reporters to make sure our stories reflect the fullest view of the place we call home, so listeners and readers feel primed to explore the places, projects and people who make up a vibrant Kansas City. Email me at luke@kcur.org.